


An Unexpected Encounter

by GilornethTheGold



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Aggravating!Balin, Alternate Universe - Erebor Never Fell, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, And so done with her cousins, As he always has been, Awkwardness, Bilba and Kili, Bilbo Is Awesome, Bilbo gets flustered, Canon What Canon?, Clumsy!Bilbo, Drogo is awesome too, Dwarves, F/M, Female Bilbo, Fic on a hiatus, Fili is a helpful old brother, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Happy Ending, Hobbits, Jealous!Kili, Kili is reckless, Matchmaking, Political Alliances, Rule 63, Slight Misunderstandings, Strolls through Shire, Thorin gets a shock, Two fools in love, always-a-girl!Bilbo, courting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-30
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-03-04 08:38:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3061250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GilornethTheGold/pseuds/GilornethTheGold
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Kíli is visiting the Shire, acting as an envoy of the King Under The Mountain, while trade agreements between Erebor and the green country are being signed.</p><p>Balin's schemes never went so smoothly before. Only the young prince has become <i> a little too eager</i> to win the heart of one particular hobbit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This pretty much spurred up out of nowhere. A cure for getting rid of sadness that Botfa brought with it *Cries hysterically*  
> Do give me your feedback!

The chief adviser of Erebor was engrossed in drafting out an official letter with meticulous care, when the King Under The Mountain strode into his study room with unnecessarily clamorous footfalls. 

"I wager that the Thain had replied to our propositions with a favorable response?" The adviser said, noticing the relaxed demeanor of the King, and the beginnings of a smile on his face, which was an utter novelty as Thorin had adopted a constantly constipated look prior to his younger nephew's coming of age.

"Aye, but that's not all of it. We do not need to proceed with our original contract," The King replied, placing a scroll on the great, oaken desk with a loud rap. 

Balin looked up in mild ambiguity "What do you mean?"

"The Thain of Shire has agreed to sign the trade agreements with the dwarves of Erebor, stating to provide us with much needed food provisions in exchange for dwarven goods. They only require witnesses from our side to make the deal official. There is no need for a further political marriage as we initially discussed."

"But a wedding of that sort would have made the deal binding," the other dwarf argued, ruffling his snowy mane. "We already agreed on this matter, Your Majesty."

The title seemed to aggravate the King, a thunderous scowl forming on his face, traces of good humor vanished all of a sudden."I do not wish to force my nephews to marry, against their wishes!"

"There is no harm in trying, if our lad is willing," Balin replied, keeping his calm in face of what he believed to be an inevitable outburst. "Prince Kili has grown too fond of playing the fool, and has become reckless beyond his own good. He needs to taste the burden of responsibility for a change."

There were a chosen few dwarves who could talk to the King of Erebor in such a manner. Balin son of Fundin was one such dwarrow, who had the king's best interests at heart and one Thorin Oakenshield would trust with his own life.

"What do you propose then, my friend?" He inquired, in a considerably lower tone.

The adviser stroked his immense beard in an attempt to give it an extra curl and asked with utmost care "When are you sending the envoys to the Shire?"

"In about two weeks time," the king responded, brows furrowed in confusion. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, whats stopping sending our prince there as your representative, giving him an opportunity to explore a bit? He could meet the relatives of the Thain at the same time while we take our time to see if any catches his fancy."

Thorin shrugged and replied with an amused sort of smile "Kili is not dim-witted. He will guess a scheme of such sort and try to become even more rebellious than before." Evidently king thought the plan to be unwarranted. He was not willing to sacrifice the happiness of his nephews in favor of initiating further diplomatic relations, although he had gauged the numerous benefits of such a political alliance with the said country. 

"I stand by my initial stance 'No harm in trying'. Durin's beard, the princes has been copped up long enough in this mountain, at the least it will give him an opportunity to experience something new."

"Alright," Thorin sighed, giving in. Balin could be very persuading, sometimes. "But you can have the treat of explaining our plans to him."

With that, the King marched out leaving his chief adviser, completely horrified.


	2. Of Runaway Youngsters and a Fateful Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Bilba scrunched her eyes shut, tightened her grip on the young child, awaiting the inevitable collision with the water as her legs gave way._
> 
>  
> 
> _It never came._
> 
>  
> 
> _Strong arms wrapped themselves around her flailing figure, and to the hobbit's greatest astonishment she found herself pressed against a firm body, preventing the fall._
> 
>  
> 
>    
> In which Kili reaches the Shire, promptly gets lost and finds help from an unexpected source.

The dwarf trudged along the well-trodden dirt path, as the tiny brooks widened into a relatively large stream.

He had not the slightest notion where he was heading, but so far the guards hadn't caught up with him, it had to be fine. 

The trail he opted to pursue was marked by numerous trees of colossal size which cast their immense silhouettes on his stocky figure as the dwarven prince passed by them, boots scraping on the muddy woodland floor. Bright beams of sunlight streamed from behind the verdure curtain of lush greenery with swift hares hopping in and out of bilberry bushes, surprisingly tame, and a bushy-tailed fox darted after them causing dust to fly in its wake.

Weary though he was from ceaseless travel, though the prevailing stay in Bree had replenished Kili's energy sources to some extent, and eager to rejoin with the Company from Erebor, the dwarf could not help but to marvel at the wholly new landscape before his stone-accustomed eyes. He was familiar with the cold veneer of rock, to be surrounded by the protection and strength of stone which throbbed with life and the crisp and clean smell of places deep. The son of Durin had toiled through barren lands, revolting marshes, reeking bogs and had faced endless forests.

But the Shire was a different place altogether. The area embodied wide, extensive grasslands and comprised of rolling hills, umpteen streams and small ravines. Brown speckled thrushes and beady-eyed blackbird chirped out sweet tunes as a greeting to the wanderers, which mingled with the soft gurgling of the nearby stream was music to dwarf's ears. Pausing at a corner the dark-haired prince inhaled deeply, sniffing the sweet scent of wild primroses which were scattered amid the undergrowth along with the smell of bare soil.

Though the view was very picturesque indeed and the landscape was a welcome break after the nasty travel across Midgewater Marshes(and the incident that took place there), the serenity of this foreign land was not entirely to Kili's liking. He had observed the hobbits of Bree intently due to Balin's persistent lessons and they rather seemed a peace-loving, a race of gentle, decorous kind and there was nothing adventurous or exciting to discover about them.

Rather dull and stuffy , Kili thought glumly. And prone to waggling brows and outrageous looks if anything out of ordinary occurred. If only Fili was with him. At least, he would not have died of boredom.

And if only that meddling adviser had stayed back at Erebor. Well one could not have everything.

So absorbed was he in his wordless musing that the dwarf did not immediately register, a muffled voice that grew steadily in the distance, the lightest crackling of leaves, and faint sniffling from behind. 

Then a hysterical voice echoed "Merry! Where are you?" Kili was instantly on his guard. Though the tone did not sound threatening, it would never do to underestimate outer forces.

A hobbit appeared from behind the thicket of trees, all puffy cheeks and golden curls, eyes frantically peering around for something lost it seemed. 

Kili heaved a sigh of relief and went over to inquire if his help was required; utterly oblivious of the prominence of the moment.

Of how his life was about to be changed forever.

..............................

_2 days earlier_  
"My Lord Balin." the two dwarves, appointed specifically to guard the prince, came forward and bowed low in front of the chief adviser. Balin stared with blatant bewilderment at the more fierce warrior, gulping back n undignified snort. Brik son of Grok made a quite comical sight, dressed obviously in garb of a male hobbit, waistcoat too tight for his stout ,thickset figure and pants too short, barely covering his knees.However, the wise old dwarf decided not to comment as the said guard seemed to be in a particularly black mood, which was never a good omen

"Ronar, Brik you were supposed to be at Bree three days ago.We are thoroughly delayed and the Thain of Shire is expecting us. Inform the Prince I need to speak to him on urgent matters. Whatever is keeping him occupied currently can wait, he is to come here within a minute." Lord Balin ordered, with an edge of irritation quite profound in his voice. The guard duo passed sidelong glances at each other, one standing grim the other quaking with fear.

"My lord dwarf," Ronar began, but his following words were laced with incomprehensible stutters. Brik threw him a nasty scowl and continued in a gruff tone.

"We encountered a problem after the crossing the Weather hills, sire." 

"More like Midgewater Marshes," the younger guard mumbled and if looks could kill Ronar would have dropped dead, the way Brik glowered at him and cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"I am really sorry guard but I really do not have the time to discuss any difficulties you might have faced," the chief adviser said, waving a knobbly hand in impatience. "Talk to the captain in charge about them but kindly bring Prince Kili here before you go." He muttered "Goodness knows what he is up to"

"The prince is not with us." Brik said shortly while Ronar twitched nervously twiddling the beads in his flaxen braids.

"By Durin's name, WHAT?"

"We were completely helpless, my lord. Prince Kili......well.....the prince......."

Balin narrowed his beady eyes, dreading an explanation yet demanding "What did the prince do, that made you fools forget your position? You were bound by oaths to shield the prince by axe or body!"

Ronar, fearing to be expelled from his prestigious place in disgrace began rambling, narrowly escaping the other guard's hefty hand that came flying to collide the back of his head. "His Majesty the prince, pushed Brik into a bog and took a runner as I tried to help him out! Brik is heavy and difficult to help, my lord. Then we tracked him till South Downs, but he was nowhere to be seen..

"You mean to tell, that you lost the prince!" The other dwarf nodded desperately.

Balin plopped down heavily on a wooden chair, momentarily shocked by Ronar's bumbling recount. The situation would have been quite humorous to imagine, a bulky and battle-scarred dwarven guard rendered helpless in a reeking bog by the mere push of a princeling who had just came of age, if it wasn't so alarming. 

Durin save Balin from Thorin's inevitable wrath if Kili ended up lost in the wilderness.

................................................

"Bilba Baggins!" Esmeralda Brandybuck (nee Took) exclaimed in mock before the two of them dissolved into helpless giggles. "You mean to tell me that you rejected _yet another proposal?_ "

"It wasn't fair on Porto Chubb, I suppose." the other hobbit replied, stifling her laughter.

Her cousin arched her eyebrow in disbelief "Guilty for breaking the poor lad's heart?" 

Bilba snorted, bending to pick a bloom of daisy and placed it in her button hole. "Fiddlesticks. The Shire is in no scarcity of lasses. He will find someone," Her expression grew mutinous "And what would a gentle-hobbit from a such a respectable family gain by having me as wife, I cannot imagine."

"Bag-End, definitely. And after all you are a Baggins even if you inherited more from your mother's side. And your mother did settle down and became a proper hobbit after her marriage" Esmeralda grinned wickedly, knowing all too well that how much Bilba detested the subject. "So the Shire's got it's eye on you, the lovely lass of Belladonna Took with a fortunate inheritance. Just requires some coaxing to reform completely in a prim and proper wife."

The daughter of Bungo Baggins, having no intent to marry and give up her books and adventurous streak, shook her golden curls. "You are married Esmera and you married well. Now stop buggering me with the same subject!"

"One day, dear Bil you will be faced with a proposal even you couldn't reject. And I will never let you live it down."

Bilba shuddered, wondering why ever did she stop to greet her cousin while visiting Buckland and promptly changed the subject "Why didn't you bring Merry for our little stroll?"

Esmeralda froze in her tracks "I did bring him with myself." She swung around wildly, dark curls hanging on one side, only to find there was no trace of her son who was supposed to be trotting along with them.

"It's alright he will turn up," Bilba said reassuringly. 

"My son is too small too be wandering of on his own," Esmeralda groaned, pulling at her hair.

"Well he is also a half-Took. Put yourself in Merry's skin and tell me where would you go at this time?" Bilba sighed, immediately regretting using that particular theory as her cousin pulled at her locks while saying  
"To find Saradoc, probably."

"Well he is a faunt, and quite an inquisitive one too. I will search the thicket over there, you check here okay?" she proposed. "He will not have gone far."

"Right," Esmeralda replied, mildly distressed as if hobbit faunts never wandered off on their own.

..........................................

Bilba walked along the stream that passed through the cluster of trees at the border of Buckland, yelling for her runaway nephew until her voice grew hoarse. Hobbits had enough sense not to go far into that direction lest they enter the Old Forest; a dark and dreary place. But not fauntlings, apparently. 

Meriadoc! It's Aunt Bilba, are you here?" the hobbit cried out loud, provoking the birds in nearby shrubbery to fly out in terror due to the pitch of her voice. No response.

Maybe he didn't even venture in here? "Merry! Where are you?" she yelled again and had just made up her mind to turn back when her pointed ears perceived the sound of shuffling feet and a child's whimper.

She dashed along the path for a small way, stopping dead in her tracks as the whimpering grew more distinct, her keen eyesight distinguishing brown curls visible through the shady leaves of an Oak. Eyes widening with unconcealed horror, Bilba saw her beloved nephew, up in the old tree not very far away from the surging watercourse, tiny legs dangling from a narrow bough that looked ready to snap any moment.

No, she wouldn't think about it.

Hardening her resolve, Bilba hastily advanced near to the gnarled trunk of the oaken tree, halting directly below the twisted bough on which Meriadoc was seated on, holding out her arms wide. "It's alright, child. I am here."

"I'll fall," Merry cried, trembling.

"No you will not. I will save you" Bilba replied, gauging the strength of the network of branches and contemplated an attempt to climb it.

Suddenly, the dreaded crack of dry wood was heard and the frayed branch snapped into two. Bilba inched herself forwards on instinct, praying to whatever Valar was heeding her words to protect her dear nephew. Merry fell into her arms, miraculously unwounded, but the shock was enough to cause her to topple over and fall into the brook. Bilba scrunched her eyes shut, tightened her grip on the young child, awaiting the inevitable collision with the water as her legs gave way.

It never came.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around her flailing figure, and to the hobbit's greatest astonishment she found herself pressed against a firm body, preventing the fall. Finding support in the radiating warmth of the steady figure she stood on the balls of her feet and flung her arms around it ,in an attempt to regain her balance, with Merry squashed awkwardly between the two forms.

After a moment, the other person relinquished his hold on her and Bilba wobbled a few steps away, inhaling shaky breaths as she examined her nephew for any possible injuries. Just a few scratches, nothing lasting she supposed except that the event had probably shaken him up too if the paleness of Merry's usually jovial face was any indication.

"Merry," Bilba addressed the small faunt, who looked up with hazy eyes, in a gently reprimanding tone. "We never climb up trees without an adult's supervision." As though it would keep him from doing so in the future, she winced internally.

"Are you alright?" the stranger spoke up from behind, his tone concerned. Bilba whirled around, blushing at her bad manners (to think she had forgotten to thank her savior from a nasty drench in the lake), and stopped short.

A dwarf.

The first thing she noticed about him were his warm eyes, dark brown orbs the color of chestnuts that she picked in autumn, smoldering like the rich caramel she poured over her pastries sometimes. Messy, dark locks to match the color of eyes framed the dwarrow's face escaping from a fine silver clasp that pinned them back. He was remarkable handsome and a good feet taller than her and peered at her with those eyes that made her all fuzzy from inside.

You ninny, Bilba reprimanded herself for her trail of thoughts and hastily replied with burning cheeks. "Yes I am fine. Um, thank you very much sir." She should probably have added something further like 'for preventing us from falling' 'being such a gentleman' 'saving us from getting possibly drowned' if such phrases did not seem somehow inappropriate. 

"It was my pleasure. Are you sure you are not hurt?"

And for the fact that a mere stranger was making her heart beat so wildly though Bilba told herself firmly that it was due to Merry's fall. Fortunately, she was saved from responding as Merry chose the next second to burst into crying.

Bilba directed an apologetic glance at the dwarf and tried to soothe her wailing nephew. "It's okay. I got you, Merry. You are fine, now."

"I should be on my way," the dwarf said, his voice rich and deep. 

Bilba nodded, contemplating a reply before saying. "And I should probably get my nephew back to his mother. She will be worrying."

The dwarf however stood silently before blurting out "Can you tell me the way to Tuckborough? It is supposed to be here somewhere. Only I have lost my way and ended up wandering in this forest this morning."

"Oh, well actually you are on the borders of Buckland. And Tuckborough is in West Farthing which is on the opposite end of the Shire." Bilba elaborated.

The dwarf smiled, the curve of his lips entranced her, cocking his head on one side "I guess I inherited my uncle's sense of direction then." He said, ruefully. "That is to say none at all."

"Oh, I can easily direct you till Bywater. You turn a little towards South-West to reach Tuckborough." Bilba then realized that he wasn't really paying attention to her words, rather gazing at her with an intent expression. Merry tugged at her skirts, still snivelling, and she made a quick decision that the hobbit was probably going to regret later on.

She tapped the dwarf on his shoulder and said "Follow me." more like steering him with one hand encased in his much larger one.

It was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Balin's group and Kili separated at Weathertop for some reason and were supposed to meet up in Bree. Now Balin and co. are already at Tuckborough after scouting around for the prince, as Balin knows Kili will turn up. He has played pranks like this earlier. Why did Kili want to enter Shire on his own? Just to annoy Balin as the adviser forced him to come on the journey without Fili :P 
> 
> And as Kili has been brought up as a prince all his life, his way of speaking will probably differ from the Kili we are used to :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!


	3. The Trials Of Being A half-Took

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trying day for Bilba which ends with a surprising revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I greatly struggled with this chapter. Just a sort of filler, to set up the background a bit. The upcoming updates will hopefully be more satisfactory, for I have got the next chapters planned out now :) 
> 
> Do give me your feedback!

Bilba was up early the next morning, having every intention of paying a visit to the Hobbiton market. Her usually well-loaded, main pantry was getting decidedly empty, and the numerous larders had to be restocked. Bagginses had a reputation to maintain after all and Bilba Baggins was considered to be an exceptional cook among the hobbits (and that was saying something).

So the hobbit dressed and consumed her first breakfast with all possible haste, took out her straw hat with its lovely blue ribbon and brought out her largest basket before proceeding to fling the round, green door of her smial shut behind her.

"Top of the morning to you, Miss!" Hamfast Gamgee nodded, as his brown hands worked diligently about the cabbage row, pulling out the troublesome weeds scattered hither and thither. 

"Good morning, Master Hamfast!" the mistress of Bag-End chirped in response, her spirits souring high at the sight of her lovely garden. She made up her mind to cook a special meal for her vigilant gardener that week, and hummed a merry tune as she skipped down the path.

The Hobbiton market was buzzing with activity, although the morning was young, with the farmers bringing in fresh produce from their lush fields in creaky wheel barrows and the cloth merchants beckoning shoppers to come to their well-maintained stalls. Faunts ran and played gaily about the place, getting in everyone's way but no hobbit seemed to mind. Bilba, not being the one to waste time when there were pending tasks to be fulfilled, hastily directed her way towards her usual providers to buy the needed provisions.

The hobbit lass went about her shopping with her basket becoming noticeably heavy and her purse considerably empty, happily uninterrupted and oblivious to the latest gossip whizzing around the town of Michel Delving until one of her relatives approached her.

"Cousin Bilba!" 

She cringed internally, her plumped lips contorting into a grimace, well familiar with the owner of that sharp, nasally voice.

"Good morning, Lobelia" the golden curled hobbit responded, plastering a smile on her face just in time. Still it took an immense amount of her resolve not to spin around without a backward glance and run away from the obnoxious Bracegirdle, for every encounter with Lobelia left her with the awful feeling as if all her prized tomatoes had been trampled on viciously.

"Did you hear the recent talk, cousin? About the dwarves?" Lobelia said her thin, cardboard lips curling up in a smile that seemed more of a sneer.

"What about them?" Bilba dropped her basket on a soft patch of grass and flexed her fingers, opting for a politely puzzled look.

"Some dwarves have arrived into the Shire which......."

"Dwarves go in and out of the Shire, all the time." the other hobbit interrupted, dryly.

Lobelia wore a slightly miffed expression before replying in a contemptuous tone "These are the delegates of the King of dwarves from East, I have heard. Coming for trade with the Shire. What do you say to that?"

The Bracegirdle looked fairly disappointed at not getting a wondrous gasp from her unwilling audience as she had anticipated. But the other hobbit already knew that piece of information from her grandfather, after overhearing him talking about Ereborian dwarves to Grandmother Took. And Bilba who had a fair amount of Tookishness in her blood, questioned him inquisitively about them, until old Gerontius was all but huffing with vexation and half-fondness.

Excitement surged in her heart when Bilba recalled the wandering dwarf she found in the forest, the day before. _Maybe he was one of those envoys? He must have been!_

Bilba however had sense not to mention these thoughts aloud, for Lobelia would have clung to her like a leech in those horrid, slimy ponds near Frogmorton in order to get more information just to set more tongues wagging. And the hobbit had every intention of losing her _highly exasperating _cousin as soon as possible.__

At that moment Lobelia stamped a foot in impatience. "I was passing on my way to the mill and do you know what the miller just told me?" The respectable Baggins winced. There was a reason why she was not on particularly good terms with the Sandyman the Miller of Hobbiton. "That you were appointed to escort a prince of Erebor to the Great Smials!"

Bilba started at that, eyes widening with incredulity of it all and burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "What would a prince of dwarves do in our humble Shire? Fiddlesticks! Don't be ridiculous, cousin."

Lobelia pursed up her lips, expression sour as curdled milk. "Well you were seen leading a dwarf to Tuckborough," she sniffed. "Don't deny it."

"Of course I don't deny it. Just found a lost soul as I was taking a stroll around the forest. You can hardly blame me for helping him, can you?"

"Oh it couldn't be the Prince then. Princes don't get lost in forests." 

Bilba made a great display of picking up her basket where she had deposited it earlier before considering a reply."As far as hobbits are concerned, princes exist only in fairy tales and bed side stories. I am heading back home, so if you would excuse me," The Baggins said in a firm tone that signaled the end of the conversation.

Though it took a few more efforts to shake off Lobelia from trialing her and in the end Bilba was pulling at her wild array of tousled curls, quite at the end of her tether.

Later when she returned to Bag-End, poor Hamfast had to bear the brunt of her ignited temper, when the gardener dared to ask how her morning had gone.

............................................

Balin Son of Fundin spent a relatively uneventful day. The runaway lad had turned up yesterday, without any apparent scratch and was sauntering about the place, smug as a miner who had just extracted a rare jewel from hard rock. He claimed to have found their destination by himself, but the venerable adviser had the sense not to believe a single word of the exaggerated tale.

The prince had absolutely no sense of direction outside the protection of stone, inheriting the unfortunate trait from his uncle who suffered from the same predicament. Quite probably, Kili had asked for directions and somehow managed to discover the place without losing his track. _Very fortunate for them both._

Likely though it was that the prince had interacted with hobbits on the way, Balin was not _terribly concerned_ about the impression he had left on them. Kili, for all his recklessness, immature pranks and ceaseless displays of irresponsibility, knew how to behave in a way befitting of a prince in public. The prince would willingly shave his brown locks before tarnishing the image and repute of his uncle and kingdom with any sort of foolishness on his part.

The adviser had a very agreeable dinner that afternoon, and had found the Thain of the Shire and his wife to be very amicable and generous sort of people, as he got the first chance to make careful and astute observations about them without worries about the disappearance of the lad, clouding his wits. They were not likely to cause any hindrance during the ceremony of signing the official papers for trade. 

The 'Old Took' as the Thain insisted to be called, though the hobbit's eyes and brain remained sharp as ever, had readily agreed to Balin's _other propositions_ , claiming it to be an essential part of long-term contracts. _The Shire owes much to Erebor_ he had said. _To find a suitable, willing hobbit lass would be the trouble._ The lady needed much more coaxing, clearly uncomfortable by knowing that Kili was to be kept in dark. But she too voiced a favorable response, after being reassured it was the prince's own free will, whether to agree to such an arrangement or not.

Of course it is possible that all his plans are for nothing, and in the end Kili would simply defy Balin as he always did, always does and will always keep on doing.

It does not keep the adviser from hoping though.

........................................

"Open up!"

A scurrying of swift feet as someone ran along the path adjoining Bag End with its gate follow by a series of loud, ceaseless rapping on her wretched door, informed the mistress of Bag-End of the arrival of a visitor. Bilba rose from her snug armchair reluctantly, shaking her head before opening the door rather quickly for the fear that her dear cousin might trample it down from sheer force of will.

"Took you long enough, Bilba!" Paladin Took remarked, before barging inside without any sort of invitation as was his wont. 

"And what's the haste all about if I may ask?" Bilba huffed, quite put out. Looking at his face, she knew he was going to say something ridiculous before the lad even parted his lips to respond.

"Why can't you ever say 'dear Paladin it's good to see you?'. It always must be 'why are you here?' 'what's the reason for your coming?' 'What happened Pal, what are you doing here at this _unearthly_ hour!'" Paladin retorted, plopping down in the chair Bilba previously occupied.

_There. Tooks never disappointed._

Bustling about her kitchen, she placed few of her freshly baked scones and an apple tart on a plate knowing how much her cousin craved them. The Took smacked his hands together in glee and thanked her with a "It's always a good idea to visit you, dear Bil." His previous agitation at her wan greeting was evidently forgotten. "I should come here more often."

"Out with it, Pal."

"Alright, alright. Grandmother Took invited you over her smial for tomorrow." Paladin said, stuffing his mouth with the scrumptious, fluffy scones.

"Manners," she chided, smacking him lightly on the head. "Now did Gran ma give you any specific reason?"

"She is not the one for providing reasons, you know that very well. Maybe she needs help for cooking meals," Pal said with a slight shrug before helping himself to a generous serving of the steaming hot tart. "There are at least seven dwarfs in her smial, all of them with healthy appetites."

"Stop talking about food for once," Bilba sighed. "You know, I met one yesterday in woods while visiting Esmera. Maybe he was one of them." She stared thoughtfully in the distance, wondering about the said dwarf.

"What was he doing in Buckland woods?" the Took inquired with a frown, peering glumly at his plate which was quite bare now save for few odd crumbs.

"Apparently he was lost."

"Then how did you find him?"

Bilba blushed, pointedly ignoring the sudden, shrewd look the Took directed towards her. "Merry got lost, you know. So I went looking for him in the thicket, for if I was lost then I would have probably ended up wandering in a forest of sorts. Well I found Merry and sort of lost my footing. We were about to fall in the stream when a dwarf appeared out of nowhere managed to save us. So I directed him all the way to Tuckborough, as he asked for the way leading to it. One good turn deserves another, you know."

Paladin looked at her, brown eyes twinkling at her bumbling account. "Really romantic beginning, Bilba."

"Pal! Don't be absurd," Bilba said, waggling her fingers in objection. _How on earth had he read between her lines?_

"The dwarf must have caught your eye," her cousin mused. "I have never seen you getting so flustered in a moment over the slightest thing." He pointed at her burning cheeks teasingly. 

"Well he was handsome and pretty charming," she mumbled. "Anyways Lobelia mentioned a sort of dwarven prince arriving in the Shire along with the envoys of their king. Knowing Lobelia, the rumors might be farfetched."

"Or not," Paladin replied, frowning slightly. "I have seen their company you know. There is a wise old bird who is in charge, I think. Then there is a younger one, who does have some sort of authority even over really intimidating dwarves. No one dares to cross him."

He changed the subject, as he observed Bilba fidgeting absentmindedly. "Well make sure you are at Great Smials before afternoon or we will both be in for one of grandma's ceaseless lectures."

The Mistress of Bag-End, sighed before saying. "I'll be there, the dutiful grand daughter that I am."

Paladin burst into laughter, skipping away from another inevitable smack on his head, singing "Dear, darling, dutiful, daughter." in a jaunty tune.

_It never got old._

.......................................

Bilba had one hand clasped around the shiny, bronze knocker scarlet-red door of the many tunneled smial in which her grandparents resided. She was about to raise it, when the door suddenly unlatched of its own will. Her legs buckled forwards, and to her greatest astonishment Bilba found herself landing in a pair of sturdy arms once more. 

"Miss Boggins!" An amused voice called out. "Bit of a surprise to see you again."

"Then I hope it's a good one, Master dwarf." Bilba replied shakily, in an attempt to regain her already lost composure. She gazed at her feet.

_Traitorous, useless things._

"Oh, very much so. I assure you," his lips curled up in an impish grin, as Kili holding out a hand to steady her. _Quite the gentle-dwarf_ Bilba mused. She had half hoped to run into him again, though the hobbit would never admit it. But to meet a dwarf from a faraway land! And a delegate of the king, too!

So she let the mispronunciation of her name be. At that moment Aunt Donnamira appeared out of blue and greeted her niece with a beaming smile.

"My dear Bilba," she said, eyes twinkling.

"You never speak to me like that, Aunt Donna. Let's see," Bilba responded, as if in deep thought. "It can't be an errand of sorts, for you would have sent Paladin."

"He breaks things," her aunt replied with a shake of head.

"Mushroom hunting, then? Or maybe bilberries, I know a good many places."

Aunt Donna laughed, pinching her cheek in response. "For now your grandmother wants to see you. I think you already got introduced to Prince Kili of Erebor?"

Bilba's hazel eyes widened almost comically, Lobelia's words echoing in her mind faintly. _Prince. Green Lady, he was actually a prince!_

 _The prince_ shot a furtive glance towards her. "We are acquainted." He said smoothly, not mentioning anything further for which the hobbit was very grateful.

_Why didn't he introduce himself to me properly?_ she wondered, gazing at the dwarf. Now that he was not covered by a mud-encrusted travelling cloak, Bilba could indeed imagine that Kili belonged to royalty with his enticing features and his confident composure, now that he was not clad into a mud-encrusted cloak. He was wearing a dark blue leather tunic, which fitted his strong build very well ,trimmed with soft fur. His dark locks were neatly braided back with silver beads and.... 

Bilba realized she was staring and quickly reverted her eyes in mortification. Aunt Donna shot her a questioning glance, then pointed towards Grandmother Took's study.

"I have to go," Bilba mumbled, looking hesitantly at the dwarf who stood confidently by her side.

His lips curled up in a teasing smile. "I do hope I run into you again."

And Bilba had no reason to provide, when her grandmother asked her warily why had she gone so crimson, to the tip of her pointed ears.

........................................

When Bilba walked into the hallway adjoining her dear grandmother's room, she supposed it must be something private that her grandmother needed to confide into her. So she was momentarily surprised when the hobbit perceived quite a gathering in the spacious room, comprising mostly of her female Took (or half-Took) cousins.

"We were waiting for you," Adamanta Took said,with the slightest hint of reprimand in her tone.

"Uh, I got distracted," Bilba said vaguely before slipping between Esmera and Primula who grinned as they made space for her. Bilba raised her brow in an unasked question, to which her cousins (and best friends) merely shrugged.

"You all must be well-aware by now of the arrival of the dwarven envoys from the great kingdom of Erebor," Grandmother Took began in her soft yet firm voice, mentioning various names entirely foreign to her wayward audience, who were rather immersed in whispered conversations rather than paying attention to her words. "Amaranth, put that bauble away if you please." The half-Took blushed before hastily concealing a flower brooch she was showing proudly to a friend.

"And by now I hope to news have reached to all of you about the dwarven prince that came along with them." The hobbits perked up their ears, and most of them giggled. No doubt they all knew, the gossip system in the Shire was particularly efficient as all hobbits loved to chatter endlessly about such things. Esmera shot a teasing smirk towards her unfortunate cousin, who stared pointedly at her fumbling hands.

Bilba listened intently as her grandmother explained the trading agreements between the Shire and Erebor in the minutest detail, although she greatly wondered why they were being told about it. No hobbit lass cared much for political talk, and the attention of her audience waned once more.

"However, sometimes such contracts need a political alliance to be official and binding. And by an alliance I mean a marriage." This sudden assertion sparked their interest, and a hushed silence washed over the room; eager and anticipating.

"We have been told to expect such an alliance should the prince be willing to choose any **_one_** of you as his bride." Adamanta's grey eyes landed over her Bilba briefly, before she continued.

Later when they dispersed Esmera linked her arm with Bilba's, and inquired. "What was that all about?" 

"How would I know?" Bilba shrugged, evidently uncomfortable at the mention of the meeting. Her grandmother's eyes flickered towards her far too often, sharp and accessing, between her prolonged speech. As if.........

No. Nothing was decided yet.

And Bilba made up her mind firmly to keep her distance from the prince from that moment. Bother all the tales she could have got out from him, it wouldn't do to find herself in such a position.


	4. Running From Responsibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kíli was always up for a challenge.

"My lady," Prince Kíli said with his heart-winning smile, slightly inclining his head downwards to meet her startled gaze.

Bilba, caught in the act of departing from the Great Smials in double haste, offered the dwarf a fleeting smile hoping against hope that he would not detain her any longer.

_She was proved otherwise._

"I have a mind to explore the surrounding areas of Tuckborough," Kíli informed her. "But I have no guide, of yet.” The dark embers of his eyes locked into her hazel ones. 

Evidently the dwarf expected Bilba to assist him, but the hobbit had entirely different plans. For her grandmother's words resounded with a staggering clarity in her mind.

**"Arranged marriage with a hobbit"**

**"Political Alliance"**

**"Sealing deals"**

**"What do you think, Bilba?"**

To have any further interaction with the dwarrows was similar to standing on a precipice of eminent predicaments.

So she replied, in a brusque manner wishing frantically that he would get the hint of her reluctance and leave her be.

"All hobbits are good guides, Master dwarf. I have no doubt that my cousins will be delighted to accompany you to where ever you wish to go." Bilba waggled a hand in vague direction to the fireplace, where Paladin and Esmeralda were engrossed in quite an animated conversation.

A flicker of disappointment passed through the dwarf's striking features, but apparently it did not hinder the purpose.

Kíli took one of her chubby palms into his own, the roughness of the dwarrow’s huge fingers delightfully tickling her smooth skin, and Bilba felt as if her face would surely burst from the flare of color. 

"I would appreciate it much if you accompanied me." He said effortlessly, gazing at the hobbit lass with an intent expression as if bending her to his own will

Bilba swallowed, feeling his warm grip on her suddenly unsteady hand. She was getting quite flustered right then for the insufferable dwarf, prince or not, had no real reason to persist further as he could easily get someone else to give him the directions.

So spurred on by the determined Took within her, she said.

"I am afraid that I do know these paths well enough."

It was not that much of an untruth; she habitually appointed her walking tracks westward from Hobbiton. And as her Took cousins were quite content with popping in and out of Bag End from day to day, Bilba visited Tuckborough occasionally when need and desire arose. 

Though one thing she wisely kept to herself, was the fact that Bilba very rarely got lost. She loved exploring paths contrary to the well-wandered network of routes through the Shire, and had a good enough memory to retrace her tracks if she ever went astray.

Kili blinked, before responding with a lazy smile “We can find our paths, together.” 

Bilba might have not deemed it possible before, but even the tips of her pointed ears burned at his response. The nerve of him!  
For that was presumptuous flirting, any way one might look at it. 

"I am needed at my own house." she added as an after-thought, pulling her hand away from his iron clasp.

"It won't take much time," the dwarf said entirely ignoring her objections, standing with arms folded and face determined.

Bilba was at a loss, not knowing how to refuse without sounding half rude. She was of a genteel brought-up after all. So the hobbit settled for a hasty apology and a quick retreat before the dwarf could utter another word or react, eager to get away from the situation she unwittingly landed herself into.

Kíli stared after her with an astounded gaze which soon gave way to an amused grin.

_A challenge._

..............................................

The crown prince of Erebor, paced his uncle's study in frustration, dangerously nearing the edge of his tether. He had just returned from a prolonged stay in the Iron hills. Already worn out from a taxing journey, it did not improve Fíli's spirits an inch to know that _his uncle_ had send _his brother_ to a foreign land without him on the whims of a meddlesome adviser, who as far as the heir to throne was concerned was going to get a swift retirement in course of future.

"How could you?" He gritted out, as King Thorin rose from his seat. "How could you send Kíli to a faraway land without informing him the purpose of the journey?"

"Fíli, he is a grown up dwarf past his maturity," The venerable king replied calmly. "It is time that you cease coddling him at every point. He is well aware of his responsibilities to the kingdom."

"No, uncle he is not! He is still my smaller brother, one who I have protected all my life. You can't simply send him somewhere behind my back and expect him to become a scapegoat for some odd contract! You did not even think to tell him about it!."

It was rare for Prince Fíli to lose the control of his composure in such a way, who sustained a neutral and reserved facade to hide his inner turmoil even at the most troubled of times. The Crown Prince was known for keeping his calm in any situation and giving sound and fair judgement.

The King, well accustomed to the temperaments of his both his nephews, stayed silent until Fíli ranted out his outburst and slowly fell victim to guilt. After that a half hour full of apologies followed, with half-accusatory glances and clenched palms.

"Fíli, you know I will not force either of you to partake in anything against your will." Thorin clasped the prince by one arm. "I only want Kíli to bear responsibilities for a while. He is only acting as my personal envoy in the Shire."

"But it was Balin's idea and you know how....well very persuasive he can be." Fíli replied, his brows creasing up. "I fear that-"

"Do you really think your brother would consent to anything Balin tells him to do?" Thorin cut in, with a long-suffering expression. 

Fíli contemplated the matter, but he knew well enough about the younger prince's prevailing state of willfulness. Only he himself and, with some persuasion, Thorin could coax him out of his obstinate shell.

"So there will be no political alliance."

"Definitely not. You fret for nothing."

"He is my brother," the blond sighed. "And far too reckless for his own good. It's my job to worry after him."

.....................................................

Bilba knew she was in for a spot of prolonged interrogation as she viewed her cousin standing with arms folded, around a corner where Michel Delving could be seen in distance.

_Trust Tooks to cover distances that quickly._

"Why did you refuse to accompany him?" Esmera demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

Bilba gritted her pearly white teeth. “What is up with you, coming all this way just to ask me that?” 

"The poor dwarf was only asking for a tour around the hills!"

"That is why he can easily get some one else!" She replied, shortly.

Primula drew in a mock sigh watching the two of them banter at something so wholly ridiculous in bemusement, like a pair of foolish tweens.

Esmera remained undeterred, “It was frankly rude and very unlike you Bilba Baggins, concerned with propriety as you are. I have never known you to decline a harmless request like that We are supposed to be kind, helpful and welcoming to the dwarves from East!”

Thankfully Prim broke in before Bilba could even form a reply.

"Leave her be, Esmeralda! You two argue too much."

The hobbit heaved a sigh of relief, missing the way her cousin's bright eyes arched at her.

"It seems like grandma's words finally made a lasting impression on you, cousin dearest."

"It's not like that!" Bilba wanly protested though the words sounded even more lame outside her head.

"Don't bother old Bil. Only yesterday you were excited at prospect of dwarves coming to the Shire and now you out-rightly deny an offer of interacting with one of them for most of day."

Primula added, "One that happens to be a prince."

Okay, things weren't going on as smoothly as she had hoped.

.......................................

Hobbits were growing on him in an odd sort of way. Never had the dwarf imagined a race so soft (and hairless) who were content to live in peace without weapons for warfare of any kind.

But his first direct encounter with the hobbit proved to be quite remarkable. Bilba Baggins was a vivacious and pleasing sort of lass, and Kíli could remember how comfortably they conversed through the journey to Tuckborough. Kíli had found her fascinating to listen too, she appealed to him in an odd way even with her soft features; the golden curls, emerald eyes and lack of facial hair.

He could do with a friend or two in the Shire. For life was incredibly monotonous without the presence of his elder brother (who Kíli missed immensely even if he was not going to admit it to anyone) and Balin was simply a preachy old meddler.

But then Bilba had openly refused his request. 

As a prince, Kíli was used to being obeyed to. Nobles and commoners alike bowed low, when either of royalty passed by them. The dwarf was not familiar to being turned down like that.

Did his pride get wounded? No. Kíli was actually amused by the way she tried to get around his outright offers, getting so endearingly flustered in the process.

The dwarf could, should, have left her alone after that as the hobbit lass had clearly voiced her hesitance around him.

But his stubbornness spurred in heights. He wanted a stroll around the Shire, to explore its green lanes and rippling brooks.

And he wanted _Bilba_ to accompany him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think the hobbits would have referred at any one as my lord or your majesty. So Bilba is still content with calling Kíli 'Master dwarf'.


	5. Why do you wear your heart in open?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Bilba discovers how very stubborn and annoyingly persistent dwarves can be. And also gets acquainted with Kíli's way of remedying awkward situations :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to update this chapter before working on my other fic. Thanks everyone for their feedback, it spurs me on to write more! :)

Bilba was working in her lovely garden, planting a row of bright poppies in front of her thriving hedges with unerring care, when her pointed ears perceived approaching footfalls.

“Paladin!” The mistress of Bag End greeted, not at all surprised to see her cousin's cheeky face in front of her wooden gate in the relatively early hours of the morning. 

The Took, though an incredibly indolent lad, was known for his notorious timings and would often visit his relatives at the most inconvenient hours possible.

Bilba Baggins, who was immensely fond of her younger cousin, never once chided him for this maddening and largely inconsiderate habit. He was still in his tweens after all and no hobbit passed the irresponsible transition from childhood to becoming a mature adult with much grace.

“Glad to see you likewise,” Paladin nodded, grinning at her from ear to ear. “You are indeed a sight for sore eyes, cousin dear.” 

A remark like that from any other hobbit lad would have either earned him a blush with an endearing curl of her lush lips or a swift kick in shins. Paladin was one of the lucky few, not to get either.

But even with dirt trailing all over her due her gardening, Bilba was a remarkable lass to look at her cheeks flushed pink by the morning breeze. With her soft crop of gold chrysanthemum curls, a well-endowed figure and lively eyes, coupled with her amiable and generous disposition Bilba was considered to be ‘quite the catch’ for the Shire Folk. Her dowry included a spacious smial situated in the midst of Michel Delving and her connections to the respectable Baggins family were all the more reason that hobbit lads were eager to court her as soon as she came of age.

The only Tookishness Bilba ever showed was her inclining towards literary habits more than indulging in normal pastimes like sewing, and a large amount of rambles around the Shire. She was perhaps more wilful than was considered as a desirable trait in a perfect bride. This in majority of hobbit’s opinions was negligible flaw.

But so far, Bilba shied away from social interactions than was required of her and managed to turn down every suit she had received. It was not a matter of pride, she had once told her cousins, but rather of compatibility. In her hearts of hearts, Bilba knew she would never be suitable for any hobbit lad. Too different, far too much of an oddity.

“Flattery will not grant you a free access to my pantry, Paladin Took. You are wont to empty it again, and I have no mind to visit the market again in these days.”

“I have heard much about your cooking skills,” a voice, much deeper than of a hobbit’s spoke. “But it seems that another visit will be in order, to sample your food.”

The spade landed unceremoniously on the grass blades with a muffled thud.

_She knew that voice._

"Oh yes," Pal said carelessly. "Forgot to mention, the prince here was eager to explore around a bit. That's why we decided to pay you a visit."

The highly reputable Baggins remained shell-shocked, unable to comprehend her cousin's ceaseless chatter.

"I said to him, who else better to go to than Bilba Baggins if you need a guide? For she knows nearly all paths around the Shire!" The Took beamed at her.

Tentatively, Bilba looked up to meet the dwarf’s dark eyes.

Kíli merely said. "Even your cousin directed me here.”

"I’ll be off then!" Pal waved gaily. "Aunt Mira told me to come home early and she will have a great deal to say if I am delayed any further. See you later Bil!"

Bilba stared at her cousin's retreating figure, she could not help but to plan the worst possible thing she could imagine for payback. _Prune in muffins would have to do,_ she decided severely not facing the person left in her charge.

Unfortunately patience was not one of Kíli's virtue, he cleared his throat loudly before crossing the wooden gate.

“Are you going to come with me then?”

Annoyance bubbled inside the hobbit, who whipped around on the balls of her feet.

"One stroll," she snapped, jabbing an accusatory finger in his chest. "Only one, just to the Green hills. Then you leave me alone and stop bothering me."

"No promises," the dwarf smirked. "And I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Prince indeed," Bilba muttered to herself as she took out her burgundy coat with brass buttons and tied her unruly curls back with appropriate amount of ribbons. “He’ll be lucky indeed if I don’t lead him to the Old Forest, for all good he is worth."

..........................................

"Balin is considering to invite some of the hobbits to Erebor to reinforce inter-cultural relationships," Kíli explained, kicking at a clod of earth in his tracks.

Bilba stopped short, an excited gleam dancing in the pupils of her eyes. "For real? I mean hobbits rarely step out of the Shire."

"You seem to be excited at the prospect," the Prince remarked. He looked at her thoughtfully, "If you happen to be among those dispatching for Erebor, I could permanently appoint you as my personal escort once you get familiar with our halls. I have been often told that my sense of direction is notoriously pathetic, but there is a solution to every problem right?"

"In your dreams, Master dwarf," She gritted out. "I am perfectly content in my own home and have no desire to leave it."

"Are you sure, Bilba?" His warm laughter rang out, causing her heart to flutter. "I have heard often enough that you are fond of travel."

She chose not to answer him and as they made their way across the thicket and around a sudden bend, the hobbit tried to convince herself that the dwarf was getting on her nerves.

Instead of overwhelming her good sense and her poor heart.

.....................................

“How do you like it?” Bilba ask softly.

Kíli remained silent for a moment, observing her chosen spot.

“It’s a splendid spot, I quite agree.” he remarked quietly, awed. "I have never seen anything like it."

As a child, Belladonna Took often brought her daughter to that secluded corner, consisting of an extensive patch of soft grass and moss tucked hidden in the immense grove of shady trees, which enclosed in a natural arbor. A tiny brook gurgled nearby and songbirds sung sweet tunes from their concealed perches.

It was one of the ideal spots scattered hither and thither in the Shire, where anyone seeking solitude could rest for a while in utmost serenity. And Bilba continued to do so, even after the death of her parents for many blissful memories of her bygone childhood were attached with that place.

She did not know why she brought the dwarf there, for not even the closest of her cousins accompanied her when she visited that area.

As she picked a few ripe berries from a cluster of brambles for Kíli, who knelt down and grinned at her in return, Bilba thought it might have been worth it.

………………………………

She was dreadfully mistaken.

Bilba had been staring off in distance as they strolled back at leisurely pace, maintaining the flow of amiable conversations in between. Sufficient to say, the lass paid for her absent mindedness. One of the earliest lessons her father had taught her was to never take her eyes of the road, lest Bilba lost her bearings. 

Her foot sank considerably in a practically camouflaged rabbit hole, when Kíli grasped her from underarms and broke her fall.

Smiling in relief and her own imprudence, the hobbit attempted to place a kiss on the dwarf’s cheek for being such a gentleman (gentledwarf?) after the custom of the Shirefolk.

It turned out to be the worst idea her mind could conjure up.

As Kíli turned his head to glance at her in confusion, their lips clashed together with considerable force.

They both froze momentarily.

Bilba had pulled away mortified, and a few moments of great awkwardness followed. The strained tension between them was palpable. Before Kíli decided that the best way to overcome their lapse in conversation was to kiss her again, properly on her plumped lips this time.

In the end, the hobbit had been immensely relieved to be back home and viciously planned to throttle her unassuming cousin, Paladin Took the next time she set her eyes on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I never meant for things to get going that quickly 0_0 I am not a great believer in true love in first sight and such scenarios. Bilba right now is just infatuated with Kíli and has every hope of growing out of this crush.
> 
> Kíli, on the other hand, was just looking for a friend in her. But as he is reckless and not yet introduced to serious kind of love, he just acts on instinct. But there is a mutual level of fascination with each other definitely. Which may develop into something more ;)


	6. Smitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Drogo and Kíli join forces to disrupt Bilba's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for delaying this! In case anyone was wondering, I am not going to abandon any of my fics. Due to tough school routine and illness I was not able to update AUE but hopefully the next updates would be quicker.
> 
> Special thanks to Lady_Juno for betaing this chapter :)

Bilba shut her door quietly behind her and sprawled out on her bed, exhausted by the whirl of conflicting emotions in her fluttering heart.

She felt the urge to go on a wild rampage and break something expensive, giggle like a madhobbit, and burst into tears; all at the same time. Whatever she felt or did, her heart couldn’t deny what had transpired and her cheeks burned as she remembered the roughness of his slightly chapped lips against her own.

Why did one idiot of a dwarf affect her so?  
...................................  
The sun was barely up in the sky when a figure sauntered along the path, making his way to Bag End.

As soon as Drogo Baggins rapped his knuckles smartly at the green door, he heard a muffled yell coming from inside the smial. There was an odd thumping noise, followed by another wail before the door swung open unceremoniously.

A short, disheveled figure clad in a gown still wrinkled from sleep stood frowning in the doorway, her fair curls sticking up in every possible direction. A smirk formed on his lips.

“I would hate to be your husband.” He pushed past her without any sort of proper Bagginsish invitation, and found the hallway strewn with umbrellas.

“Seriously Bilba?” He sighed, helping her to pick them up.

“I tripped over it. And it’s your fault for coming to visit at this hour!” She whined, rubbing the red mark on her shin, which would surely turn into a bruise later. “Can’t any of my cousins come to visit me at a reasonable time, it seems like you and Pal have some sort of mutual agreement to disturb me in the morning!”

Drogo allowed her to vent her irritation on him, knowing she would only consent to help if he did so. Still he couldn’t help but to retort. “Disturbed your beauty sleep, cousin?”

Bilba leveled him an intense glare, and he would have dropped dead if looks could kill. “After spending a perfectly horrible day, one is allowed to have a few moments of rest to gather their fractured soul.”

“Fractured soul indeed,” the lad chortled. “You have no idea what an evening I had yesterday, and you speak of your own woes!”  
“I could say the same thing,” Bilba responded. “But do tell me.”

Bilba did not much see her Baggins cousins, who were too stuffy and predictable for her liking. Honestly, they turned up their noses at the slightest hint of any behavior breaking their set norms.

But she had a steady friendship with the son of Fosco. Both of them were vastly different from your average Baggins, and for that they got on remarkably.

Bilba had even carried a small torch for her cousin in her tweens, though she would never admit to it. She had soon come to consider him a brother, and Drogo had set his sights on another lass.

He, unfortunately, played to his free will and sense of independence a little too much already. His family were utterly against suffering another match between two wholly opposite clans, and had firmly forbidden him from courting the lass after his own heart.

Bilba, whose parents had been the first to break the norm and marry against the wishes of their respective parents, was determined to help her cousin. After all, the marriage of Bungo Baggins and Belladonna Took was practically a Shire legend, now told as an adventurous bedside story to fauntlings, and if a match between a Baggins and a Took could work, why not a Baggins and a Brandybuck?

That led Bilba to stray on the topic of an inter-racial political alliance with a particular dwarf, and her cheeks flushed to color of a radish.

“And that’s when Prim and I snuck into the pantry together,” Drogo broke off in the middle of his tale as he realized that Bilba’s attention had clearly wavered. “And she told me we have to get married.”

He stared at his cousin in bewilderment, who still wasn't paying attention, before continuing. “...because she’s going to have my baby.”

Bilba Baggins was still looking off in space, making a vague _hmm_ sound. 

“And then Paladin showed up and stripped naked, dancing on the tabletops and singing a love ballad to Lavender Bracegirdle.”

“That’s great,” she replied, twirling a curl of her hair absently.

Her cousin exhaled out a sigh. “Okay, did you even heard a word of what I am saying?”

“Of course, whatever you say.”

Drogo rapped his hand hard on the table making her squeal in indignation. “Bilba! What’s up with that face?” 

She blushed instinctively. “Wha-what face?”

“That dreamy, not-paying-attention-to-your-guests face you make when you are thinking about food or a good old walk.”

“Drogo!”

“Well? Were you thinking about food?” Drogo asked with a sly grin.

_“Drogo!”_

“Alright, spill,” the hobbit commanded. “What is it, then?”

Bilba sighed, knowing it was no good beating around the bush. So a bumbling recount of her various woes followed, which eventually lead to Drogo extracting every bit of her interaction with Kíli _including_ the part of her stroll from the day before.

“So he managed to kiss you, _unscathed?_ ”he choked out, knowing how viciously Bilba dealt with unwanted advances. “I must congratulate him on that, and also for capturing your fancy where everyone failed.”

"Permission granted for leaving my kitchen. Kindly depart before that perfect face of yours gets acquainted with my old rolling-pin."

"Empty threats," he muttered before getting a well-aimed kick in his shins.

"Really mature behavior Bil! That dwarf of yours will be glad to know his intended bride has brains and manners good enough for a three-year-old."

 _"Intended bride?"_ she shrieked for this was too much. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"Well they all are saying that dwarves are looking for a bride for the prince," Drogo countered. "And now it seems that the prince has-"

"Shut up," Bilba said shortly, making a mental note to catch up with Hobbiton gossip network. "For Yavanna's sake, I have only seen him three times and this was our last meeting."

In an attempt to prove that she had better things to do then partake in whatever thoughts were forming in his mind, Bilba picked up a broom and began to sweep the hallway rather vigorously.

After a moment, surprised and not at all relieved by her cousin’s suspicious silence, Bilba turned to see Drogo staring at her violent strokes with a smirk, reminiscent of a certain someone.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“I know you too well to fall for that, cousin. Speak up.” She said dryly.

“I’d like to keep the hair on my toes, if you don’t mind.”

Bilba aimed a glare at him. “Stop being an exasperating idiot and tell me!”

“Promise that you won’t attack me,” Drogo watched the old broom warily.

“Drogo!”

“You're attracted to him,” Drogo sighed. “That dwarf of yours, I mean. Anyone can see that!”

“It’s just a stupid crush,” Bilba replied, scathingly resuming her sweeping.

He sighed. “Just keep telling yourself that.”

“Did you only come here to rile me up?”

“I was bored by Ma telling me all her objections toward my choice,” Drogo rolled his eyes. “What do you expect?”

Bilba merely contented with throwing a cleaning rag at him.

.......................................

“Indeed,” Esmeralda chortled. “But really, old Drogo does think up the most outrageous plans. How are you going to pull it off, anyway?”

“I'm not taking part in it,” Bilba replied, indignantly. “Prim is a dear friend and a gentle soul, I don’t want her to suffer because my own cousin is such a walnut-head!”

“He's just getting desperate, I mean who wouldn't? I heard that Uncle Gorbadoc chased him down to the Brandywine with his hounds, just because he dared to bring her gloxinia blooms!” Esmeralda stared at the sky, a gay smile gracing her lips. “Poor sod.”

“You are not supposed to take his side in this Esmera!”

“I am on nobody’s side! You tend to make a great deal of mess out of these situations, and I for one would like not to be dragged into them.”

“But that is not the point! Drogo begged me-”

Esmeralda turned suddenly around, widened her eyes for a moment then calmly turned towards Bilba.

“Would you like some tea?” she inquired, wearing her most unconvincing look of innocence. Bilba was instantly suspicious, not so much by the look as by the question. Esmeralda never offered her tea, the hobbit always had to make it _herself._

“What is it?” she asked, dreading the answer.

“Oh, nothing. I just bought some of that dwarvish blend, I think you would enjoy-” Esmera broke off, grinning and pointing towards the bend in the lane.

Bilba groaned. “Fiddlesticks and rotting mushrooms! What is he doing here?” For she had spotted a highly familiar dwarf strutting around the bend.

“Coming to see you,” Esmeralda said as if she was stating the most obvious thing in the world.

“Well see you later, then,” Bilba mumbled, got up and with surprising speed for a comfort-loving hobbit, sprinted along the path in opposite direction to avoid any possible, undesirable encounter.

Esmeralda looked at her retreating cousin with narrowed eyes, figuring that something was definitely up.

Well then, she would coax it out of her anyway.

…………………………

Bilba halted after dashing along the dirt path frantically for a while and reproached herself for acting in this ridiculous manner. She was a half-Took and a Baggins, for Yavanna’s sake. Tooks never backed down from a challenge. After all, what was she running away from? 

“Bilba!” a deep voice called out from behind; loud and distinct.

 _Him._ She was running away from _him._

Internally wincing, Bilba turned around on the balls of her feet struggling vainly to make her expression neutral. Kíli stood before her.

“May I ask why you are following me?” She gritted out. 

The hobbit could spot his familiar, _infuriating_ grin even from afar as he sauntered close to her with confident steps.

He shrugged. “The day is fine, too fine indeed to keep sitting inside. Care for a walk?” he offered her his arm, without waiting for a reply.

“You seem mighty sure of yourself,” Bilba replied stoically. “But I am heading home right now, so excuse me.” She turned around, feeling quite flustered. 

“Oh come on!” He reached out towards her, capturing her hand in his own. 

“I don’t want to,” she groused out. “Let go of me!”

“But Bilba!” Kíli tried to argue, pulling her closer. The next moment the dwarven prince let out a sharp yell dropping her hand instantly, lurching back a step. His usual, easy smile melted into a shocked stare.

Bilba stepped back in surprise and growing horror. Reality of what she had done registered in her head along with the excruciating pain surging in her toes. _How was she to know that dwarven hides were that tough?_

She had meant to wrench her hand free and yell at the dwarf for all she was worth for a good many minutes. The idiot needed a long overdue lesson on propriety, the fact that he was a prince did not meant that he could follow and bother others when fancy struck him. Bilba had meant to say this and a good many other things, if only to lessen the frustration in her heart.

 _She certainly had not intended to hit him._ Finding herself in this mess (he was a prince, Valar above, she had kicked a prince), the Baggins in her decided that only way out of this predicament was to flee.

Kíli watched her go in astonishment. She had _kicked_ him, right in the shin. And even though he was a dwarf, it stung. He definitely hadn’t known that hobbits could kick so viciously. And Bilba? The one lass who looked as if she couldn’t possibly hurt a fly, who knew she could deliver a blow that hard?

Was his pride affected? _Definitely._ Well, he was being too persistent, Kíli thought on reflection, so he most certainly deserved it. 

He gazed at the spot she had vanished, a smile slowly tugging at the corners of his lips. Hobbits were turning out to be quite surprising creatures and Bilba Baggins was the most surprising, most remarkable of them all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I know that hobbits ages vary like canonically Drogo is much younger than Bilbo. But current ages are Bilba(37), Primula(35) Esmeralda(39), Drogo in (40) while Paladin is still a tween(28). Kíli had his coming of age ceremony a few years ago he is 65. Dwarven coming of age is at 60 while hobbits have the same(33).


End file.
